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Homeschool laws in North Dakota

Checked Oct 12, 2026 against 6 sources · General information, not legal advice.

Your North Dakota to-do

  1. File the statement of intent First year
    At least 5 days before you begin home education, or within 14 days of moving into a school district.
  2. File a new statement of intent Every year after
    Once each school year after the first, for each child age 7 or older (the law sets no date).
  3. Take the standardized achievement test Every year Grades 4, 6, 8, 10
    During the school year in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10, unless the parent filed an objection or exemption with the statement of intent.
  4. File the test results with the district Every year Grades 4, 6, 8, 10
    After the test (no date in the law), with the superintendent of your district of residence.

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What North Dakota asks

North Dakota parents file a statement of intent with their school district at least 5 days before starting and once every year after that, then teach the public school subjects for at least 4 hours a day on 175 days and keep a yearly record of courses and progress. Children take a standardized test in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 unless the parent files an objection or qualifies for an exemption, and a parent without a high school diploma or GED is monitored by a licensed teacher for the first two years.

School age: Ages 7–15. The law covers children "between the ages of seven and sixteen years" (read here as until the 16th birthday). A 6-year-old who is enrolled in public school must keep attending for that school year; once withdrawn, the child cannot re-enroll until the next school year.

Home education (parent-supervised)

N.D.C.C. ch. 15.1-23 (§§ 15.1-23-01 to 15.1-23-19); § 15.1-20-02(1)(e) · Level 4: More involved

All the details, deadlines and notes
Notice
Every year: At least 5 days before you begin home education, or within 14 days of moving into a school district; then once every school year for each child age 7 or older. File it with the superintendent of your district of residence (or the county superintendent), with the child's immunization record and proof of identity.
The state's form
Time
175 days a year, 4 hours a day
At least 4 hours of instruction a day, on at least 175 days each year.
Subjects
  • English language arts: reading, composition, creative writing, grammar and spelling
  • mathematics
  • social studies: U.S. Constitution, U.S. history, geography, government; North Dakota studies in grades 4 and 8
  • science, including agriculture
  • physical education
  • health
  • computer science, including cybersecurity
  • high school: North Dakota's minimum graduation requirements
Assessment
Standardized test: Grades 4, 6, 8 and 10: the district's standardized achievement test or a nationally normed one, given by a teacher licensed or approved in North Dakota. Not required if the parent files a philosophical, moral or religious objection, or is a licensed teacher, holds a bachelor's degree or passed a national teacher exam.
No date in the law: file the results with your district superintendent (or county superintendent). An exemption or objection is filed with the statement of intent.
Portfolio
Not required
Reports
No reports to send
Records to keep
  • a yearly record of the courses taken
  • the child's academic progress assessments, including any standardized test results
Teacher
The supervising parent needs a high school diploma or GED; a parent without one may still home educate but is monitored by a North Dakota licensed (or approved) teacher for the first two years, longer if test scores are below the 50th percentile.

Deadlines

  • File the statement of intent: At least 5 days before you begin home education, or within 14 days of moving into a school district.
  • File a new statement of intent: Once each school year after the first, for each child age 7 or older (the law sets no date).
  • Take the standardized achievement test: During the school year in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10, unless the parent filed an objection or exemption with the statement of intent.
  • File the test results with the district: After the test (no date in the law), with the superintendent of your district of residence.
A test score below the 30th percentile leads to an assessment by a multidisciplinary team and, if the child is not disabled, a remediation plan filed with the superintendent.
When monitoring is required, the monitoring teacher reports the child's progress to the superintendent twice a year.
A parent home educating a child with a developmental disability files services-plan progress reports by November 1, February 1 and May 1.

How Homepen helps

Homepen counts your days and hours as you tick lessons toward this goal, and makes: Notice-of-intent letter, filled in, Attendance & hours report, Daily log, Report card, Year-end summary, High-school transcript, Course descriptions.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Laws change: we check every source at least every 6 months and before each school year. If something looks wrong, tell us. The state agency for homeschooling questions is the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

Keep your North Dakota records without the paperwork

Plan the week, tick lessons, and Homepen keeps the days, hours and portfolio North Dakota asks for.

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